How delightful it was to see fresh places and tomix with strangers! And he was to go still farther，for he was not yet fourteen years old when he wentout in a ship to see the world. He encountered badweather， heavy seas， unkindness， and hard men—such were his experiences， for he became ship-boy. Cold nights， bad living， and blows had to beendured; then he felt his noble Spanish blood boilwithin him， and bitter， angry， words rose to hislips， but he gulped them down; it was better，although he felt as the eel must feel when it isskinned， cut up， and put into the frying-pan.
“I shall get over it，” said a voice within him.
He saw the Spanish coast， the native land of his parents. He even saw the town wherethey had lived in joy and prosperity， but he knew nothing of his home or his relations， andhis relations knew just as little about him.
the poor ship boy was not permitted to land， but on the last day of their stay hemanaged to get ashore. There were several purchases to be made， and he was sent to carrythem on board.
Jorgen stood there in his shabby clothes which looked as if they had been washed in theditch and dried in the chimney; he， who had always dwelt among the sand-hills， now saw aGREat city for the first time. How lofty the houses seemed， and what a number of peoplethere were in the streets! some pushing this way， some that—a perfect maelstrom ofcitizens and peasants， monks and soldiers—the jingling of bells on the trappings of asses andmules， the chiming of church bells， calling， shouting， hammering and knocking—all going onat once. Every trade was located in the basement of the houses or in the side thoroughfares;and the sun shone with such heat， and the air was so close， that one seemed to be in anoven full of beetles， cockchafers， bees and flies， all humming and buzzing together. Jorgenscarcely knew where he was or which way he went. Then he saw just in front of him the greatdoorway of a cathedral; the lights were gleaming in the dark aisles， and the fragrance ofincense was wafted towards him. Even the poorest beggar ventured up the steps into thesanctuary. Jorgen followed the sailor he was with into the church， and stood in the sacrededifice. Coloured pictures gleamed from their golden background， and on the altar stood thefigure of the Virgin with the child Jesus， surrounded by lights and flowers; priests in festiverobes were chanting， and choir boys in dazzling attire swung silver censers. What splendourand magnificence he saw there! It streamed in upon his soul and overpowered him： thechurch and the faith of his parents surrounded him， and touched a chord in his heart thatcaused his eyes to overflow with tears.
they went from the church to the market-place. Here a quantity of provisions were givenhim to carry. The way to the harbour was long; and weary and overcome with variousemotions， he rested for a few moments before a splendid house， with marble pillars，statues， and broad steps. Here he rested his burden against the wall. Then a porter in liverycame out， lifted up a silver-headed cane， and drove him away—him， the grandson of thathouse. But no one knew that， and he just as little as any one. Then he went on board again，and once more encountered rough words and blows， much work and little sleep—such was hisexperience of life. They say it is good to suffer in one's young days， if age brings something tomake up for it.
His period of service on board the ship came to an end， and the vessel lay once more atRingkjobing in Jutland. He came ashore， and went home to the sand-dunes near Huusby; buthis foster-mother had died during his absence.
A hard winter followed this summer. Snow-storms swept over land and sea， and there wasdifficulty in getting from one place to another. How unequally things are distributed in thisworld! Here there was bitter cold and snow-storms， while in Spain there was burningsunshine and oppressive heat. Yet， when a clear frosty day came， and Jorgen saw theswans flying in numbers from the sea towards the land， across to Norre-Vosborg， it seemedto him that people could breathe more freely here; the summer also in this part of the worldwas splendid. In imagination he saw the heath blossom and become purple with rich juicyberries， and the elder-bushes and lime-trees at Norre Vosborg in flower. He made up his mindto go there again.
Spring came， and the fishing began. Jorgen was now an active helper in this， for he hadgrown during the last year， and was quick at work. He was full of life， and knew how toswim， to tread water， and to turn over and tumble in the strong tide. They often warned himto beware of the sharks， which seize the best swimmer， draw him down， and devour him;but such was not to be Jorgen's fate.
At a neighbour's house in the dunes there was a boy named Martin， with whom Jorgenwas on very friendly terms， and they both took service in the same ship to Norway， and alsowent together to Holland. They never had a quarrel， but a person can be easily excited toquarrel when he is naturally hot tempered， for he often shows it in many ways; and this isjust what Jorgen did one day when they fell out about the merest trifle. They were sittingbehind the cabin door， eating from a delft plate， which they had placed between them. Jorgenheld his pocket-knife in his hand and raised it towards Martin， and at the same time becameashy pale， and his eyes had an ugly look. Martin only said， “Ah! ah! you are one of thatsort， are you? Fond of using the knife!”